President/CEO of the Lorain County Urban League, Inc.
Fred Wright, has been with the LCUL for five years now. During that time he has made great strides in securing financial stability for the agency and has helped the LCUL become a more viable organization within the county.

Fred came to Lorain County from Nebraska where he served as Director of Programs and Special Projects for the Urban League of Nebraska, Inc., While there, Mr. Wright actively participated in various community service programs in Omaha for the 13 years, almost 7 of which were with the Urban League of Nebraska, Inc. He has received numerous awards for program successes and innovations locally, statewide and nationally.

Fred is happily married to Judy Wright, who is currently Associate Director of Northern Ohio Recovery Association, (NORA) a substance treatment organization in the counties of Cuyahoga, Lorain, and Summit. He has three daughters, Brandi - who lives in Dayton and is a Computer Information Specialist; Chanel who lives in Baltimore and is a Professional Basketball Player/Public School Teacher, and Annie who lives in Baltimore and is currently seeking a professional occupation. He also is the Grandfather of Torrie and Tatum and Great Uncle to Harrison Jefferson.

Contact Fred at: 440-323-3364 x 23 or by email at fwright@lcul.org.

Director of Programs and Development
Peter Ogbuji is currently the Director of Programs and Development for the Lorain County Urban League (LCUL). In this capacity, he is directly responsible for all programs and fund development activities, including grant proposal writing. Specifically, Peter is responsible for:

Designing all of the programs for the LCUL Program alignment to assure that programs reflect the core goals of the LCUL Overseeing the work of all staff  responsible for specific programs and assuring that all program implementation is consistent with the mission and values of the organization.

Peter is also head of the Education/Youth Development Department (EYDD) at the LCUL. The latest projects for the EYDD include Early Literacy, Parental Involvement and the College Bound Program.

Previous to this position, Peter was the Assistant Director for the Center for Service and Learning at Oberlin College. His responsibilities included training student volunteers, coordinating community service efforts and identifying new partnership opportunities within Lorain County. In addition, he taught two courses on Community Organizing and Grant Proposal writing through the College's "Experimental College".

Contact Peter at 440-323-3364 x24 or by email at pogbuji@lcul.org.

Operations/Housing Program Director
Mindy Wright has been with the Urban League since August, 2003. In her capacity, she handles all of the Human Resource functions for the agency. Mindy also runs the Housing Program; which includes:

Filing Housing discrimination charges with the Ohio Civil Rights Commission Mediating landlord/tenant disputes Providing Fair Housing trainings and seminars throughout Lorain County Providing First-time homebuyer counseling sessions and Assisting families with rental/mortgage assistance

Mindy grew up in LaGrange, Ohio graduating from Keystone High School. Later Mindy graduated Magna Cum Laude from Cleveland State University with a major in Psychology and a minor in HR Management. Together with her husband, Phillip, she is the proud mother of two children, Sydney and Logan, who keep her very active.

Mindy serves on the local Fair Housing Boards, the Homeless Task Force, and is actively involved in the community. In her spare time, Mindy enjoys reading, working in the yard, and spending time with family.

Contact Mindy at 440-323-3364 x22 or by email at mcooper@lcul.org.

Accountant
Daisie Reish-Geiger. Before becoming the outside accountant for the Lorain County Urban League in 1997, she was the Financial Director of the Cleveland National Multiple Sclerosis Society and a staff accountant at American Motorists Association. She is a graduate of the Lorain County Community College and Cleveland State University. In November of 1992 she passed the test to be a certified public accountant.

After growing up in a small town in central Pennsylvania, she went to school in Hagerstown, MD and lived in Washington, DC, Baltimore, MD, Buckhannon, W Va, Oklahoma City, OK, and has resided in Ohio for the past 34 years.

Contact Daisie at 440-748-1742 or by email at daisie.reish@verizon.net.

Employment/Economic Development and Special Programs Coordinator
Michael Ferrer joined the Lorain County Urban League in October 2004. Prior to this he was Youth Services Director for El Centro de Servicios Sociales, Inc. (El Centro), Lorain County’s oldest Hispanic multi-social service organization, and the Lorain Salvation Army where he planned and implemented programs for over 1800 youth between the ages of 6-21. Almost all of his programs targeted youth who had been kicked out of other programs, had extensive contact with Juvenile authorities and were performing behind grade level. Participant attendance in his programs averaged more that 92% throughout the year.

Michael has written youth educational programs for non-profits, area schools systems, NCLR affiliates, and works with foundations on national initiatives for “At Risk” youth. Some of his youth now serve on area boards and as advisors to the juvenile justice system, foundations, and other youth programs within Lorain County. Michael has served as motivational speaker and trainer, and along with his wife Dina he coordinated all 10 of the Hispanic Leadership Conferences in Lorain County, the 1st Statewide Hispanic Health Disparities Conference for the Ohio Commission on Minority Health and co-created the Hispanic Latino African American Coalition and coordinated their first joint Critical Issues Conference in October 2004.

He writes and teaches grant writing for the Ohio Latino Arts Association, non-profits, grassroots and parent organizations, and for organizations with innovative ideas for reaching “At-Risk” populations. He currently serves or has served on several boards throughout the County. He has served as Executive Director of Southeastern Business College and as CEO of Palmer School in Philadelphia. He was a member of the Old Guard, President Reagan’s personal escort. A Graduate of Bowling Green State University, he lives in Lorain with his wife Dina, and has six children.

Contact Michael at 440-336-1501 or by email at mf777df@msn.com.

 UYEP Director
Paula Deason is the director of the Urban Youth Empowerment Program (UYEP) which is a program designed to use education, work-related activities and community service to help youth of all races and ethnicities to develop the skills that employers are looking for in the 21st Century workplace.  

Paula obtained her BS from The University of Detroit and her Masters of Education from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. In addition, she has a Special Education Counseling endorsement from the University of Texas. She has taught in many different districts which include Detroit, MI, Houston, TX, San Antonio, TX and Plano, TX.

She has 5 children. Paige is married, lives outside of Dallas and owns her own consulting firm. Sam is a student at the University of Texas at Dallas and a Software Consultant with Deltan Group. Rebekah is an engineering student at the University of Toledo and a co-op with Rockwell Collins in Richardson, Texas. Jon lives in West Palm Beach, FL and works for Sikorsky Helicopter as an Airplane Mechanic. Dan is a student at Lorain County Community College.

Contact Paula at 440-323-3364 x27 or pdeason@lcul.org.

Counselor/Youth Advocate, Urban Youth Empowerment Program (UYEP)
Tina Allen, As the Case Manager she is responsible to ensure all possible services and support are available for the youth in the UYEP Program to successful achieve their goals. She has a compassion for youth and giving back to the community.  She is excited about having the opportunity to give others a new beginning.  She is returning back to Lorain County Urban League after working with them in 1998-2001, where she served as the Workforce Development Coordinator/Employment Specialist.  She has been employed, as a GED Instructor, with Lorain County Community College, Adult Basic Literacy and Education Program (ABLE) since 2002.  She has also worked as a substitute teacher in Elyria and Lorain City Schools.  She is active with the youth within the church and the community.  She has received awards for community service.

Tina is enrolled in the Ashland University Graduate Program, pursing an Education Degree. She is a graduate of The Ohio State University where she received a B.S.B.A. in human resources management.  Tina has one daughter, Octavia Allen.  She attends North Carolina A & T State University pursing an accounting degree.   

Contact Tina at: 440-323-3364 x 26 or by email at tallen@lcul.org

Foreclosure Intervention Counselor
Larisa Staruch joined the Lorain County Urban League in September 2009 as the Foreclosure Intervention Counselor.  Her job responsibilities include interviewing clients, collecting documents and working in conjunction with lenders in order to help clients stay in their homes.  Prior to working at the Urban League, Larisa was a Paralegal/Administrative Assistant with The Housing Advocates, Inc. Home Ownership Assistance Program where she assisted attorneys specializing in predatory lending and foreclosure defense issues. 

Larisa was born in Lorain and grew up in Elyria, Cleveland Heights and Amherst, Massachusetts.  She received a B.A. in history from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and a post-degree certificate in Paralegal Studies from Cuyahoga County Community College.  

Contact Larisa at 440-323-3364 x31 or by email at lstaruch@lcul.org.

Special Events and Membership Coordinator
Alyce M. Horton comes to the Lorain County Urban League as our new Special Events and Membership Coordinator. Previously Alyce worked for the Social Security Administration as a Claims Representative specializing in disability claims and retired last September after 29 years of service. She received both her BA Degree in Psychology and her MBA in Business Administration from Baldwin Wallace College.

Alyce is married to Charles A. Horton, owner of ServiceMaster By Horton Janitorial Company.

Contact Alyce at 440-323-3364 x28 or by email at ahorton@lcul.org.

Community Service and Workshop Coordinator, UYEP
Raymond Southard is the Urban Youth Empowerment Program. He is responsible for developing community service opportunities and the design/implementation of the basic job skill workshops that better prepare our participants for the world of work. Ray has over 15 years experience working with non profit organizations in areas of education and workforce development throughout North East Ohio. He has established experience with such organizations as Positive Education Program, Youth Opportunities Unlimited, Braxton Consulting, Leapfrog, Lorain City Schools, Elyria City Schools, Boys and Girls Club, and Catholic Charities in effort to promote life-long practices to enhance the quality of life for youth.  In addition to his extensive background in education and workforce development Ray is a speed, agility, quickness, strength, and sports trainer at various sites in Lorain County.

Ray grew up in western Pennsylvania. He has resided in Lorain County for 18 years. Ray obtained his BA from Bowling Green State University. While at BGSU he was awarded a full scholarship and was a member of the 1985 MAC Championship Team that played in the California Bowl. He is a husband of 18 years to Marcella Diaz-Southard with three children Alonso, Paige, and Macy.

Contact Ray at: 440-323-3364 x 36 or by email at rsouthard@lcul.org